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Tuesday, 11 June 2013

104) Mint of Finland: Provincial coins issued in 2010 and 2011: Commemorating the cultures/traditions of the Nine historic provinces, which ceased to be Administrative Regions in 1634:

104) Mint of Finland: Provincial
coins issued in 2010 and 2011:Commemorating the cultures/traditions of the
Nine historic provinces, which ceased to be Administrative Regions in 1634:

Each
Province of Finland has its own traditional character, which makes each one
very special.

Agriculture,
fishing, handicrafts, hunting and several other national traditions and sources
of livelihood have been commemorated/depicted in the Provincial coins which
together represent the culture and colours of Finland.

These
coins weave together a fascinating story of a peace loving nation, trustworthy
and industrious, a country with clear autumn days, winter mornings with a sharp
bite of frost, warm summer evenings and summer nights of perpetual sunshine.

Finland
is a country of several tribes. The Finns have a strong bonding with their
tribes throughout their lives, no matter where they are. Finland’s historical
provinces have been both administrative entities and cultural tribal regions
which are recognized by the people. The past life of all the nine provinces is interlinked with the mediaeval
manorial provinces.

Administratively,
the historic provinces ceased to exist in 1634, when the country, then a part
of Sweden, was divided into counties.

SABLE:
(black as one in Heraldic colours; in engravings represented by horizontal
& vertical lines crossing each other)

ARGENT:
(the silver of a Coat of arms or silvery white on the white colour in Heraldic
Armorial bearings)

MULLET:
(a figure of a star having 5 or more points)

PASSANT:
(of a beast walking and looking towards the dexter side with the dexter forepaw
raised)

DEXTER:
(meaning on the bearer’s right hand side of a shield in Heraldry)

SINISTER:
(meaning on the bearer’s left hand side of a shield, in Heraldry)

The Provincial Coins:

1)Finland Proper province
(Maakunta):

The
Finland Proper province has a rich medieval cultural heritage.

Turku
Castle, the centre of the historical Finland Proper province
was the first castle to be built in Finland. More than half of Finland’s
medieval manors are located in Finland Proper.

The
Turku Cathedral and the Naantali Church are among Finland’s most
important sites of religious architecture.

In
the Middle Ages, Kuusisto Castle was built at Kaarina, on the shores of
“Piikkionlahti” Bay, as the Catholic Church’s administrative base and as the sanctuary of Finland’s Catholic bishops
and the medieval Archbishops of Turku.

The reverse of the Finland Proper Provincial coin depicts the
Finland proper Coat of Arms coin. This Coat of Arms was granted to the Province
at the burial of Gustav I of Sweden in 1560.

The
Arms are crowned by a ducal coronet, though in the Finnish tradition this more
resembles a Swedish comital coronet.

The
Blazon: “Gules, a crowned jousting helmet in front of two
lances in saltire, all Or. On each lance is attached a forked hanging flag
azure, charged with a Scandinavian cross Or”.

This coin was issued on 15.10.2010.

The
obverse of the coin depicts
the Rusko tankard used during biblical study gatherings, made from a spruce
rootstalk.

This
tankard represents the province’s earliest exports. This Province has a rich
and very intricate decorative woodwork tradition. The “kousa” or the
“decorative wooden tankard” was Finland Proper’s earliest export product with a
large number of these tankards being exported in the 16th century,
mainly to Sweden.

Most
of the “festive” Rusko tankards complete with the year and coat of arms were
made in the early 16th century for the weddings of the nobility.

The
tradition of using the Rusko tankard at biblical study gatherings dates back to
1542.

These
study gatherings were known as “kinkerit”, the equivalent of the modern
confirmation class and they became an established practice in Finland with the
enforcement of the 1686 Church Law.

Before
general compulsory education, these reading events played an important role in
the promotion of literacy and the knowledge of catechism among the people. The
reading event was generally arranged in large farm houses where home – brew
could be served during the religious programme. After the event, a procession
carried the tankard to the house where the next study gathering would take
place.

As
late as the 19th century, the festive Rusko tankard was used at
biblical study gatherings in the Hujala village of the Rusko parish. The
tankard was used to sip drinks while learning to read.

Today,
the Rusko tankard is the only remaining festive tankard in Finland. It is
regarded as one of the valuable objects at the National museum of Finland
representing Finland’s culture.

2)Satakunta Province
(Satakunnan Maakuntaraha):

In
the Middle Ages, Satakunta was a separate administrative unit, where new towns
and settlements were being established. Ulvila was established in 1365 and
Rauma in 1442. Duke John of Finland established Pori as the capital of
Satakunta in 1558.

Satakunta
has been inhabited for at least 7000 years, the first signs of life dating back
to the Mesolithic period and “Suomusjarvi” culture.

Numerous
prehistoric remains, the lush green agricultural sceneries of river valleys and
the old industrial and manorial surroundings bear testimony to the fact that
settlements in Satakunta province were established a long time ago. The massive
barrows present in the province are evidence of civilization having been
present here in the Bronze Age.

The
Satakunta cultural areas have also been included in the list of World Heritage
sites. The wooden town area of Old Rauma and the Bronze Age burial site of
“Sammallahdenmaki” in Satakunta are two of Finland’s seven World Heritage
sites.

The reverse of the coin depicts the traditional Coat of Arms of
Satakunta. The Coat of Arms of Satakunta
are crowned by a ducal coronet, though in Finnish tradition, it more resembles
a Swedish count’s coronet.

The
obverse of the coin depicts the making of bobbin lace, also known as pillow
lace.

Bobbin
lace has been made in Finland since the Middle Ages. Since only a few luxury
items were available, homemade lace was used to decorate costumes. The bobbin
lace tradition, which dates back hundreds of years, is still prevalent in
Satakunta, especially during the “Rauma Lace Week” in summer.

3)Tavastia Province (Hameen
Maakuntaraha):

Tavastia
has been inhabited since the early Stone Age. In the Middle Ages, the Tavastia
settlements spread from around Vanajavesi to the wilderness, where the locals
hunted.

The
old trade route, Hame Oxen Road, connected the region to the West Coast. Modern
Finnish cities, such as Hameenlinna, Lahti, Jyvaskyla and Tampere are part of
the historical province of Tavastia.

The reverse of the Tavastia Provincial coin depicts the
traditional Coat of Arms of Tavastia. The Coat of Arms was granted to the
Province at the burial of Gustav I of Sweden in 1560. The Arms are crowned by a
ducal coronet, though by Finnish tradition, this more resembles a Swedish
count’s coronet.

The
Blazon: “Gules, a lynx passant Or, ear tufts sable; in chief
three mullets of six, in base four roses, all argent.”

This
coin was issued on 25.02.2011.

The
obverse of the coin depicts a
snare and a bird’s talons. This coin
therefore represents an old Tavastian hunting tradition.

Snares
like this were often made by twisting together horsetail hair and flax. At the
hunter’s belt would be a snare holster made from juniper with dozens of snares
hanging from it, which were used for catching birds for the table.

4)Savonia Province (Savon
Maakuntaraha):

Savonia
has been inhabited since the end of the Ice Age. Its remaining Neolithic cave
paintings, a popular attraction, are proof of its long history.

Presently,
the Province has a population of over 400000 inhabitants. Over a period of
time, the Savonians have developed a distinct dialect of Finnish that
distinguishes them from Finns native to other provinces. Savonia’s natural
landscapes are a prominent feature of Finland’s picturesque and beautiful
Countryside.

The reverse of the coin depicts the traditional Coat of Arms of
Uusimaa. The Coat of Arms of Savonia is crowned by a count’s coronet, though by
Finnish tradition, this more resembles a Swedish baronial coronet. The
traditional colours of the Province are in black and gold.

The
obverse of the coin
represents a “farmer’s coin” and depicts the Savonian slash and burn tradition.

Savonian agriculture was entirely based on
slash and burn cultivation which was a type of agriculture method used in the
province to earn a living in the early Modern Age. Slash and burn farming
involved burning wood to fertilize the cultivation of rye. This cultivation
allowed farmers to eliminate harmful weeds. Farmers practiced slash and burn in
groups formed by several families working together.

5)Uusimaa Province
(Uudenmaan Maakuntaraha):

In
the 12th century A.D., the people of Uusimaa were predominantly
roaming hunters, but as more people discovered the Region, several hundreds of
settlers migrated here from Southwest Finland and Sweden in the following
centuries.

The
Province is accordingly named by the settlers as “Uusimaa” (in Swedish –
meaning “form ny land” or “new land”) sometime in the 14th century.
Later in 1548, the name is mentioned as “Wsimaa” in Finnish by Mikael Agricola
in the preface of his translation of the New Testament.

The
reverse of the coin depicts the
traditional Coat of Arms of Uusimaa.

The
Coat of Arms of Uusimaa was granted at the burial of Gustav I of Sweden in
1560. The Arms are crowned by a count’s coronet, though by Finnish tradition
this more resembles a Swedish baronial coronet.

The
Blazon: “Azure between two bars wavy argent, a boat with
rudder, Or”.

This
coin was issued on 26.05.2011.

The
obverse of the coin depicts symbols of early industry in Finland showing a saw
and two wheels.

In
the 16th and 17th centuries, when settlements transformed
into towns all over Uusimaa, Iron production was the main industry and local
communities became self-sufficient with their own market places, churches and
schools.

6)Karelia Province (Karjalan
Maakuntaraha):

Many
Finns have their roots in Karelia. Traditional Karelia dishes, such as Karelian
pasties (open rye pastry cases filled with rice) are popular delicacies
throughout Finland.

The reverse of the Karelia Provincial coin depicts the traditional Coat
of Arms of Karelia. The Coat of Arms is crowned by a ducal coronet, though by
Finnish tradition, this more resembles a Swedish count’s coronet.

The
symbolism of the Coat of Arms represents how the region was fought over by
Sweden and Russia for centuries.

The Blazon: “Gules, in the centre chief
a crown or above two dueling arms, the dexter armoured holding a sword and the
sinister chain-mail armoured with a scimitar, all argent except for hafts and
gauntlet joint Or.”

This
coin was issued on 17.06.2011.

The
obverse of the coin depicts the beautiful artisan handicraft tradition of the
Karelians, showing birch craft which is an integral part of this tradition.

The
handicrafts are made of birch bark, cut with a thin-bladed knife in early
summer or autumn and the end products are in the form of small baskets, shoes,
knapsacks and shepherd’s horns. Birch bark is robust and water resistant and is
also used by artisans for making drinking vessels.

7)Ostrobothnian Province
(Pohjannaan Maakuntaraha):

The
Ostrobothnian Province comprises the vast northern flatlands. During the time
of the historic provinces, Ostrobothnia covered much of what are now Southern
Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, Northern Ostrobothnia and Southern Lapland.

The
reverse of the coin shows the
Province’s traditional Coat of Arms which dates back to the medieval fiefdoms. The
Coat of Arms is crowned by a count’s coronet, although by Finnish tradition,
this more resembles a Swedish baron’s coronet.

The
Blazon: “Azure, six
ermines courant argent, tail-tips sable”.

This
coin was issued on 19.09.2011.

The
obverse of the coin depicts tar
resins and the heart of a stone-covered tar-burning pit, as tar burning is an
old Ostrobothnian industry.

Between
the 17th and 19th centuries, the flat Ostrobothnian
plains criss-crossed by rivers were ideal terrain for transporting the heavy
tar loads.

Large
amounts of tar were made out of Ostrobothnian pine trees in round tar burning
pits with a funnel-shaped bottom.

8)Laplands Province or
“Laponia” (Lapin Maakuntaraha):

Lapland
is the northernmost province which is known for its natural scenery and
fascinating traditions.

The
historical provincial boundaries of Lapland cover the northern areas of the
present day province – the municipalities of Enontekio, Kittila, Muonio,
Pelkosenniemi, Savukoski, Sodankyla and Utsjoki, as well as, Southern Lapland,
which was considered to be part of Ostrobothnia during the time of the
historical provinces.

The
Sami were living in Lapland long before the Finns arrived. The Sami are
descendants of the people who inhabited Northern Fennoscandia right after the
Ice Age about 10000 years ago. The Sami are the only aboriginal people in the
European Union.

Lapland
was the last region where the Finns settled.
Finns started moving into the region from the 1550s when King Gustav I
of Sweden wished to populate the wilderness areas of his kingdom. By the 1590s,
there were 350 Finns living in Alatornio and Ylitornio.

The reverse of the Lapland Provincial coin depicts the Finland proper
Coat of Arms coin.

The
Coat of Arms for Lapland was composed out of the Coats of Arms of Laponia and
Istrobothnia.

This
coin was issued on 18.10.2011.

The
obverse of the coin commemorates the Sami people, the oldest inhabitants of
Lapland, depicting the shaman’s drum which was an integral part of the Sami’s
epic songs and spirituality.

Shamans
used drums to predict a family’s good fortune and to heal patients. The drum
symbolized life and the entire universe in the past, present and future. The
drum sticks were often made of reindeer horn.

9)Aland Province (Ahvenanmaa
Maakuntaraha):

Aland is a small archipelago province. It is
situated east of the Sea of Eland and south of the Bothnian Sea. East of Aland
is the Archipelago of Turku in the Province of Varsinais – Suomi. Aland
consists of over 6700 islands and islets, 6400 of which have a land area
exceeding 3000 sq. metres.

Aland
is an autonomous province of Finland and a popular tourist destination during
summers when it is at its most beautiful.

Fishing
is an important source of livelihood for the Aland people for centuries. This
coin image underlines the importance of fishing to the Aland people. Fishing
nets are woven at home in the winters and are often made of single-strand linen
yarn spun by hand. Initially the nets were up to three metres high but
presently nets of much larger heights are in use, particularly as the stone
anchors used previously by fishermen were replaced by the storm – proof iron
anchors.

This
coin represents the Archipelago Province and Fishermen. This is the last coin
in the Provincial series issued in 2011.

The
reverse of the coin depicts the
traditional Coat of Arms of Aland. The Coat of Arms of Aland features a gold
red deer on a blue field. The Arms carry a coronet of a count, though by
Finnish tradition this more resembles a Swedish baronial coronet.

The
Blazon: “Azure a Deer passant Or”.

It
was issued on 20.12.2011.

The
obverse of the coin depicts a fisherman’s net and an implement used for
knitting fishing nets.

(These
coins are from the collection of Abhishek Pradhan. Article researched and
written by Rajeev Prasad)

About Me

I am Rajeev Prasad, a retired State Bank of India officer who had been collecting coins in a shoe box without having a serious interest. Only after quitting my job I got the time to take serious interest in developing my coin collection into a hobby. A pity, because I would have had more opportunity to lay my hands on more 'exclusive coins' while in the Bank. Anyway, as they say,better late than never. If you have any views to share with me regarding this blog , please contact me on my email rajeevprasad1208@gmail.com. I also have a twitter account @prasad_rajeev.
I had an opportunity to participate in a Documentary on the life and times of the 25 paise coin titled “Chal Basi Chavanni” (The four anna/twenty five paise coin passes away), aired by STAR NEWS on 29th and 30th June 2011. The programme helped in making many persons hold back onto their “chavannis”, the little round beauties, instead of returning them to Banks .